Kurtistown man, 44, charged in armed robbery

Krause held on $21,000 bail

Published 5:05 PM HST Jul 11, 2013

HILO, Hawaii -

Big Island police have charged a Puna man with five offenses in connection with an armed robbery in May.

On May 28, several suspects approached a home in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision brandishing handguns. A 36-year-old man was hit on the arm with the butt of a firearm and was injured. The suspects then entered the house without permission, held four occupants at gunpoint while demanding valuables, and then fled with the valuables in a vehicle.

At 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, police arrested 44-year-old John Krause of Kurtistown and held him at the Hilo police cellblock while detectives continued the investigation.

Krause was charged at 1:45 p.m. Thursday with first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, second-degree assault and two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening. His bail was set at $21,000.

He remains at the cellblock pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Friday.